Nerd Adjacent

Neural networks are the brain-inspired tech behind everything from image recognition to music-generating AIs. In this post, we break down how they learn, what makes them powerful, and why they’re not quite human—but still surprisingly clever.

2017 study mentioned in the episode

Esteva, A., Kuprel, B., Novoa, R. A., et al. (2017). Dermatologist-level classification of skin cancer with deep neural networks. Nature, 542(7639), 115–118. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature21056

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Episode Music by Eric Lund.

From Netflix recommendations to spam filters, machine learning is the quiet engine behind many of the smart tools we use every day. This post breaks down how machines actually learn from data and why it’s less like programming and more like teaching a really fast, very serious student.

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Episode Music by Eric Lund.

Touchscreens feel like modern magic, but the tech has a surprisingly long history—starting with clunky pressure-based screens and evolving into the sleek, responsive glass we tap today. This episode traces how we got from early experiments to the multitouch world of smartphones, tablets, and cars that bury the volume control three menus deep.

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Episode Music by Eric Lund.

They’re on menus, packages, posters—even gravestones. But QR codes weren’t designed for marketing; they were born on the factory floor. This post unpacks how a barcode upgrade from 1990s Japan became a modern-day shortcut for everything from payments to pandemic menus.

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Music for this episode by Eric Lund

Ever wonder how your earbuds just know to connect to your phone? That’s Bluetooth—an unflashy but essential tech with Viking roots, hopping radio frequencies, and a name that wasn’t supposed to stick. This post unpacks how it works, where it came from, and why it quietly powers so much of your digital life.

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Episode Music by Eric Lund.

Your fridge can message you, your lights can gossip with your thermostat, and your vacuum has a name. Welcome to the Internet of Things—where everyday objects get smart, talk to each other, and occasionally get stuck under the couch. This post explores how it all works and what it means for our homes and habits.

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Episode Music by Eric Lund.

I'm part software product designer, voice actor, and nerd. I'm embarking on a new podcast that dives into the technology that we may use everyday but know very little about. My goal is to explain what might seem like big, scary, and complex ideas by using real-world examples that we can all relate to.

My name is Chris Rouman, and I'm Nerd Adjacent.

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Episode Music by Eric Lund.